One-way clutch



J. A. MAR'LAND ONE-WAY CLUTCH June 8 1937.

s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 7, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed 001;. '7.1935 ala/mm Patented June 8, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in clutches, and more particularlyconcerns the construction of one-way or overrunning clutches, adapted.for many and various applications and uses in both light and heavymachinery.

While the general purpose of the invention is to provide a sturdy andreliable clutch construction in which the driving strain isscientifically distributed to equalize stresses upon the various 1Oclutch-members and aiford very low unit stresses upon the working parts,particular attention has been given to other important features anddetails, providing for quick action and release,

proper distribution of lubrication, accessibility,

and the avoidance of jamming, wedging, distortion, and undue wear andscoring of the various elements.

I have shown and will describe several applications of the invention andsome modifications in the construction, but it is to be understood thattheinvention is not limited to such applications, and that othermodifications and adaptations may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, showing oneembodiment of the invention in what is known as a self-aligningshaft-coupling;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken Fig. 8 is a fragmentarysectional view, taken upon the line ,8,8 of Fig. l.

Each of the four clutch arrangements shown a in the drawings may beemployed, of course, for a variety of purposes. For example", thoseshown in Figures; 1 to 6, inclusive, are adapted for use inone-way-drives for power-driven vehicles, such as free-wheeling devicesfor automobiles; in harvesting machines, street-sweepers, and othermachines of such types, in which parts thereof are to be operated in onedirection only, 5:) or when the machine is moving in one direction only,and the driving of such parts is effected by one or more of theground-wheels of the machine; and in various kinds of stationarymachinery in which a plurality of driving units are coupled with asingle driven unit, such as where a gas or steam engine and an electricmotor are selectively employed for driving a pump, or in which a singlereversible driving unit is coupled with aplurality of driven units, suchas where a reversible electric motor is used for driving one or theother of a pair of pumps, depending upon the direction of rotation ofsaid motor. The arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8 is designed fortranslating reciprocal or oscillatory motion into intermittentuni-directional rotary motion, and is particularly adapted for use inoperating printing press inking rollers, metal punch-press stripfeed-rolls, stoker-feed-drives,-and so forth. Considering, first, theconstruction illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, in which my one-way clutchis embodied in a self-aligning shaft-coupling, it may be explained that,while the end-parts of shafts l and 2 are here shown in axial alignment,the clutch-coupling construction is designed to compensate formisalignment of theshafts and 5 to prevent the transmission of angularstresses andvib'ratio'ns therebetween. In the end-to-end coupling ofshafts, the axes of the shafts may not be, or may not remain, in perfectalignment. Furthermore, the operating vibrations of the driving anddriven units, to'which the respective shafts belong, may difier inperiod or extent, and where such conditions pertain in the coupling ofthe shafts of heavy and/or high-speed machinery, considerable damage mayresult, unless 35 provision is made to avoid the placing of dangerousstrains or stresses upon the coupled shafts and their bearings and toprevent the transmission of vibrations'between the coupled units. Suchprovision is even more necessary where a self-acting clutch is employed,since any misalignment of the clutch-elements would prevent their properoperation, to say the least.

Similar hubs 3 and l are tightly fitted upon the proximate end-parts ofshafts l and 2, respectively, are keyed thereupon, as at 5 and 8, andare each provided with a continuous series of external splines, i and 8,formed upon the rims of respective dished or undercut annular flanges 9and III. The hubs are boxed by the cylindrical coupling I I, the casingof 'which' 'is' formed of members l2, l3 and I4, firmly secured togetherby screw-bolts l5 and I6. Member I! is a cover-' plate having aninwardly turned sleeve l'l fitted with a packing-ring l8, which engageshub i in the annular recess beneath the splines I thereof and serves asan oil-seal for this end of the coupling. Member I3 surrounds andprovides an outer roller-race for other clutch-members to be 5 presentlydescribed, and member I4 constitutes a sleeve-cap having an open endsurrounded by an annular cup and a continuous series of internal splinesI9, the splines I9 meshing with splines 8, and the inwardly turned lipof the cup forming a bearing ring and serving as an oilseal for this endof the coupling, engaging hub 4 in the annular recess beneath splines 8'approximately on the transverse center line of said splines.

Splines I mesh with a continuous series of internal splines 2| formedupon the inner face of a cylindrical cam-unit 22, the outer surface ofwhich is formed with a continuous series of camfaces 23. Acting betweenthese cam-faces and 20 the smooth inner surface of member I3 is a seriesof clutch-rollers 24, which are guided and retained in properrelationship with their respective cam-faces by a roller-cage, hereshown as comprising a pair of cage-rings, and 26, 25 connected togetherby tie-rods 21. Preferably, rollers 24 are hollow and are looselyjournaled upon the tie-rods 21, to'form a unitary roller-cage assembly.The rollers are formed of helically wound square steel bars, to providea certain Q and cage-rings 25 and 26 have only a limited clearance overthe outside diameter of the camunit, thus preventing excessive motion ofthe axis of the roller-cage about the shaft axis.

While my invention is not limited to this particular roller androller-cage construction, I find that, by making the rollers hollow andjournaling them loosely, as I have described, the use of a lubricant ofthe proper. viscosity will, upon operation of the device, exertsuflicient fluid friction upon the rollers to float them into and fromtheir engaging positions, without destructive rubbing, wear and noise,and the use of the usual rollerurging springs is unnecessary. Byconstructing the rollers of helically wound steel bars, they may be madesufliciently light for the purposes just mentioned and yet strong enoughto prevent crushing by compression when in their engaged positions, andby fitting them nicely between the cage-rings as I have descgbed, theywill be held square with the sides of the cage and in proper alignmentwith their respective cam-faces and ithe outerracewaywith whichtheygengage.

In the embodiment of the invention just described, driven shaft 2 willbe rotated in one direction by driving shaft I through coupling II, bymeans of hub 3, splines I and 2|, cam-unit 22, clutch-rollers 24,members I3 and I4, splines I9 and 8, and hub 4. Whenever the forwardrotative speed of shaft 2 exceeds or overruns that of shaft I, as wouldoccur at times in the use of the shaft-clutch-coupling in free-wheelingdevices,

coupling II, being connected to shaft 2 by splines I9 and 8 and hub 4,will be rotated at greater speed than cam-unit 22, which is connected toshaft I by splines 2| and 1 and hub 3. Clutchrollers 24 will thereforebe released from their gripping engagement between the outer raceway,formed by the smooth inner surface of the cylindrical member l3, andtheir respective cam-faces 7 23, and the viscosity of the lubricantemployed will offer sufflcient fiuid friction upon them to back theminto the recesses of the cam-unit, out of contact with the raceway. Ofcourse, the same action takes place upon reversing the direction ofrotation of shaft I, as would occur in many of the other mentioned usesof the shaft-clutchcoupling. Similarly, whenever the forward rotativespeed of shaft I exceeds that of shaft 2, the viscosity of the lubricantemployed will retard the rotation of the rollers and the roller-cagesufliciently to effect the movement of the rollers up the inclinedsurfaces of their respective cam-faces into gripping engagement with theaforesaid outer raceway.

An important feature of this invention lies in the means provided forinsuring proper distribution of lubrication. I have mentioned that theuse of a lubricant of proper viscosity will, upon operation of thedevice, exert sufficient fluid friction upon the rollers to influencethem into and from their gripping engagement with their respectivecam-faces and the outer roller raceway formed by the smooth innersurface of member I3, and it follows that, in order for all of therollers to be so influenced, the lubricant must be retained in theraceway and be prevented from draining or settling away from the upperrollers when the device is not in operation. It will be observed thatthe roller raceway constitutes a. closed annular channel, three sides ofwhich are formed by members I2 and I3, and the fourth by the cam-unit22, which is fitted toturn freely but closely within the bushing-rings28 and 29, and that cam-unit 22 is perforated at intervals bylubrication-ducts 30, 30. After the ,device has been completelyassembled, the plug 3| is removed from the oil-hole 32 and sufflcientlubricant is introduced therein to fill the space 33 in the lower partof the casing up to the level of the oilseals formed by the packing ringI8 and the lip a The degree of viscosity of the lubricant is determinedby the speed at which the device is to be run, and the diameter of thelubrication-ducts 30, 30, is determined by the degree of viscosity ofthe lubricant, that is to say, the diameter of said ducts is such thatthe lubricant of proper viscosity will pass outwardly therethrough intothe raceway when impelled by centrifugal force during operation of thedevice, but will not return therethrough by simple gravitation when thedevice is not in operation, because of the fluid friction thereofagainst the sides of the ducts, or, otherwise expressed, because of theviscous property possessed by the lubricant of resisting deformation. Itwill thus be evident that all of the contacting surfaces of theoperating parts, including the splines I, 8, I9 and 2|, will be keptthoroughly lubricated at all times. Experience has proven that theimportance of this feature of proper-lubrication cannot beover-emphasized.

In the applications of the invention and the modifications in theconstruction illustrated in the remaining figures of the drawings, thecamunits are not formed with the internal series of splines nor providedwith the lubrication-ducts I have justdescribed, since, in each of thedevices shown in these figures, the clutch acts upon a single shaft andthe cam-unit is fitted and removably secured in position directlythereupon.

Referring, now, to the clutch-sprocket construction shown in Figures 3and 4, the cam-unit is in the form of a sleeve 34 fitted upon thereduced end-part of shaft 35, being held from turning thereupon by thefeather or key 35, and removably secured in position by the set-screw31. The sprocket-teeth 3.8 are formed upon the outer surface of thecylindrical intermediate member 39 of the clutch-casing 40, the twoother members of said clutch-casing being the inner cover-plate 4| andthe outer or end cap-plate 42, all secured together by screw-bolts 43which are passed through members 42 and 39 and screwed into member 4|,The inner surface of member 39 is ground smooth and. true and forms theouter roller-race, between" which and the cam-faces 44 of camsleeve 34the clutchrollers 45 and the roller-cage; 45 are located. Clutch-rollers45 and roller-cage 45 are substantially the same in construction ,andoperation as the clutch-rollers 24 and. the roller-cage described inconnection with Figures 1 and 2, but the cam-faces 44 do not extendentirely across the outer surface of cam-sleeve 34. As shown in Figure3, the outer diameter of the opposite endparts 41 and 48 of cam-sleeve34 is less than that of the intermediate band of cam-faces 44, theseend-parts being ground smooth and true to serve as bearings for thecover-plate 4| and capplate' 42, respectively. Cover-plate 4| isprovided with a packing-ring 49 to serve as an oil-seal. Cap-plate 42 isformed with an internal central boss 58 which bears against the end ofshaft 35, and is provided with a central oilhole 5| and connectinglubrication-ducts in the form of grooves 52 and 53, through whichlubrication is supplied to the roller raceway 54.

In the clutch-sheave construction illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, thecam-unit is again in the form of a sleeve 55, here shown fitted upon athrough shaft 55 and held removably fixed and positioned thereupon by aspline or key 5'! and a setscrew 58. Cam-faces 59 are formed as acentral hand between two smoothly ground surfaces 59 and 5|, which, inthis instance, constitute inner races for respective sets ofantifriction rollers 52 and 83, located oneat each side of the set ofclutch-rollers 54. The endparts of cam-sleeve 55 are also smoothlyground, but of smaller diameter than surfaces 50 and 6|, forming annularshoulders and 55. The hollow cylindrical hub 51 of the sheave forms theintermediate member of the casing enclosing the clutch and idlerroller-assemblies, the two outer members of said casing being thecover-plates 58 and 59 which are removably secured to the opposite endsof the hub by screw-bolts I8 and II respectively. Cover-plates 58 and 59are alike and are fitted to run upon the smooth end-parts of cam-sleeve55, each beingprovided with an oil-seal packing-ring I2 and with aninner bushing 13, the bushings projecting sufiiciently from the-inner.facesof the respective cover-plates to act as end-thrust bearingsagainst the corresponding adjacent shoulders 55 and 85. Separatehardened and smoothly ground sleeves l4, l5 and 15 are pressed orotherwise tightly fitted within the hub 51 and held in'position byrespective screw-pins l1, l8 and 79, constituting outer races for thetwo sets of anti-friction rollers 52 and 53 and the intermediatelypositioned set of clutchrollers 54. The three sets of rollers areassembled upon individual rollercages to form separately removableunits, and the construction of rollers and roller-cages may be alike andsubstantially similar to that of the rollers and the roller-cagedescribed in connection with Figures 1 and 2. Lubrication is introducedinto the raceway through oil-hole 80.

It is believed that a description of the operation of theclutch-sprocket construction, shown in Figures 3 and 4, is unnecessary,but it may be mentioned that either the sprocket or the shaft may beused as the driving member of the clutch. Similarly, in theclutch-sheave construction shown in Figures 5 and 6, the sheave may beemployed either as the driving or the driven member of the clutch.Viewing it as the driving member, rotation thereof in one direction willeffect gripping engagement of the clutch-rollers 54 between the inclinedsurfaces of cam-faces 59 and the respective outer race 15 to drive theshaft 55. Whenever the rotative speed of the shaft exceeds or overrunsthat of the sheave, or whenever the direction of rotation of the sheaveis reversed, the clutch-rollers will be automatically released fromtheir gripping engagement and the sheave will idle upon the two sets ofantifriction rollers 52 and 53. 5

In the clutch-ratchet construction shown Figures 7 and 8, the cam-unit,clutch-rollers and roller-cage arrangements are substantially the sameas those described in connection with the clutch-sprocket constructionof Figures 3 and4.

Cam-sleeve 8| is fitted upon shaft 82, and is held removably fixed andpositioned thereupon by spline or key 83 and set-screw 84. Cam-faces 85are formed as acentral band upon'the outer surface of cam-sleeve 8|,between smoothly ders 86 and 81, and are each provided with an oil-sealpacking-ring 94. A hardened, smoothly ground sleeve is pressed orotherwise tightly fitted within the hollow hub 88 and held in positionby the screw pin 95 to constitute the outer race for the series ofclutch-rollers 91, Clutchrollers 91 are end-ground and nicely fitted tobe kept at right angles to, but move freely between, cage-rings 98 and99, and are loosely journaled upon the tie-rods I00 which connect saidcagerings, so that the rollers may be floated by the viscosity of thelubricant employed into and from gripping engagement between theirrespective cam-faces 85 and theouter roller race provided by the sleeve95, and so that the rollers and roller-cage constitute a removable unit,all as hereinbefore descrlbed in. connection with the otherconstructions shown in the drawings. Lubrication is introduced into theroller raceway through oil-hole IOI.

It will be seen that all bf the clutch-elements ciprocal motion of thecrank 89 will oscillate the hub 88 and the sleeve 95 forming the outerroller race and effect the alternate wedging and release of theclutch-rollers 91 between their respective cam-faces 85 and the outerrace, thereby causing a step-by-step rotation of shaft 82.

In each of the'constructions shown, the driving action of the clutch maybe reversed by simply removing and reversing the position of thecam-unit.

I claim:

1. In combination with a rotatable shaft, a one-way clutch comprising asleeve member held in removable splined engagement with said shaft, theouter surface thereof having a centrally disposed band of similarlyinclined ratchet-like roller-engaging cam-faces formed thereupon andsimilar smoothly surfaced end-parts at each side of said band; acylindrical roller-cage surrounding the band of cam-faces upon saidsleeve member; a cylindrical casing member surrounding said roller-cageand having a smooth inner rollerengaging surface; a series ofclutch-rollers carried by said roller-cage in position between saidmembers for Wedging engagement each with one of the cam-faces of saidsleeve member and the smooth inner surface of said casing member; and acover-plate removably secured to one side of said casing member inrotative engagement with one of the smoothly surfaced end-parts of saidsleeve member to assist in holding said members in concentric spacedrelationship and to permit said sleeve member to be removed and replacedin reverse position to reverse the rotative action of the clutch,whereupon said coverplate will rotatively engage the other smoothlysurfaced end-part of said sleeve member.

2. The combination with a pair of shafts arranged end-to-end and firstand second hubs fixed one upon each of said shafts near the proximateends thereof, each of said hubs having a series of external splinesformed thereupon, of a one-way clutch-coupling comprising a. cylindricalsleeve member having an outer roller-engaging surface and a series ofinternal splines meshing with the splines of said first hub; a hollowcylindrical casing member having an inner roller-engaging surfacesurrounding the roller-engaging surface of said sleeve member, theroller-engaging surface of one of said members being smooth and theroller-engaging surface of the other of said members comprising aplurality of similarly inclined camfaces; a cylindrical roller-cagepositioned tween said members; a plurality of clutch-rollers carried bysaid roller-cage in position between the roller-engaging surfaces ofsaid members for engagement with the smootlrsurface of one and thecam-faces of the other; a coverplate removably secured to one side ofsaid casing member and in free rotative engagement with said first hub;and a cap-plate secured to the other side of said casing member andhaving a series of internal splines meshing with the splines of saidsecond hub.

3. The combination with a pair of shafts arranged end-to-end and firstand second hubs fixed one upon each of said shafts near the proximateends thereof, each of said hubs having a series of external splinesformed thereupon, of a one-way clutch-coupling comprising a cylindricalsleeve member having an outer roller-engaging surface, a series ofinternal splines meshing ,with the splines of said first hub, and aplurality of ducts perforating the cylindrical wall thereof at intervalstherearound; a hollow cylindrical casing member having an innerroller-engaging surface surrounding the roller-engaging surface of saidsleeve member, the roller-engaging surface of one of said members beingsmooth and the roller-engaging surface of the other of said memberscomprising a plurality of similarly inclined cam faces; a cylindricalroller-cage positioned between said members; a plurality ofclutch-rollers carried by said roller-cage in position between therollerengaging surfaces of said members for engagement with the smoothsurface of one and the cam-faces of the other; a cover-plate removablysecured to one side of said casing member and in free rotativeengagement with said first hub; and a cap-plate secured to the otherside of said casing member and having a series of internal splinesmeshing with the splines of said second hub.

4. The combination with a pair of shafts arranged end-to-end and firstand second hubs fixed one upon each of said shafts near the proximateends thereof, each of said hubs having a series of external splinesformed thereupon, of a one-way clutch-coupling comprising a cylindricalsleeve member having an outer roller-engaging surface, smooth bearingsurfaces one at each side of the roller-engaging surface, and a seriesof internal splines meshing with the splines of said first hub; a hollowcylindrical casing member having an inner roller-engaging surfacesurrounding the roller-engaging surface of said sleeve member, theroller-engaging surface of one of said members being smooth and theroller-engaging surface of the other of said members comprising aplurality of similarly inclined cam-faces; a cylindrical roller-cagepositioned between said members; a plurality of clutch-rollers carriedby said roller-cage in position between the roller-engaging surfaces ofsaid members for engagement with the smooth surface of one and thecam-faces of the other; a cover-plate removably secured to one side ofsaid casing member and in free rotative engagement with said first hub;a cap-plate secured to the other side of said casing member and having aseries of internal splines meshing with the splines of said second hub;and annular shouldered bearings engaging the smooth bearing surfaces ofsaid sleeve member, one of said bearings being formed upon said casingmember and the other of said bearings being formed upon saidcover-plate.

5. The combination with a pair of shafts arranged end-to-end and firstand second hubs fixed; one upon each. of said, shafts near the.proximate ends thereof, each of said hubs having an undercut annularflange thereupon with a series of splines formed upon the rim thereof,of a one-way clutch-coupling comprising a cylindrical sleeve memberhaving an outer roller-engaging surface and a series of internal splinesmeshing with the splines of said first hub; a hollow cylindrical casingmember having an inner roller-engaging surface surrounding therollerengaging surface of said sleeve member, the roller-engagingsurface of one of said members being smooth and the roller-engagingsurface of the other of said members comprising a plurality of similarlyinclined cam-faces; a cylindrical roller-cage positioned between saidmembers; a plurality of clutch-rollers carried by said roller-cage inposition between the roller-engaging surfaces of said members forengagement with the smooth surface of one and the camfaces of the other;a cover-plate removably se cured to one side of said casing member andhaving an inwardly turned sleeve, the inner end of which sleeve isprovided with a packing ring in free rotative engagement with said firsthub Within the annular pocket provided by the undercut annular flangethereupon; and a capplate secured to the other side of said casingmember, having a series of internal splines meshing with the splines ofsaid second hub, and having an inwardly turned sleeve the inner end ofwhich engages said second hub within the annular pocket provided by theundercut annular flange thereupon.

6. The combination with a pair of shafts arranged end-to-end and firstand second hubs fixed one upon each of said shafts near the proximateends thereof, each of said hubs having a series of external splinesformed thereupon, of a one-way clutch-coupling comprising a cylindricalsleeve member having a series of similarly inclined roller-engagingcam-faces upon the outer surface thereof and a series of internalsplines meshing with the splines of said first hub; a

hollow cylindrical casing member having a smooth inner roller-engagingsurface surrounding the 1 series of cam-faces of said sleeve member; acylindrical roller-cage positioned between said members; a plurality ofclutch-rollers carried by said roller-cage in position between saidmembers for wedging engagement each with one of the camfaces of saidsleeve member and the smooth inner surface of said casing member; acover-plate removably secured to one side of said casing member andhaving a central opening provided with a packing ring fitted to turnupon and form a lubricant seal around said first hub; and a capplatesecured to the other side of said casing member, having a series ofinternal splines meshing with the splines of said second hub, and havinga central opening engaging said second hub.

7. The combination with a pair of shafts arranged end-to-end and firstand second hubs fixed one upon each of said shafts near the proximateends thereof, each of said hubs having a series of external splinesformed thereupon, of a oneway clutch-coupling comprising a cylindricalsleeve member, the outer surface of which is formed with a centrallydisposed band of similarly inclined ratchet-like roller-engaging ca-infaces and with similar smoothly surfaced endparts at each side of saidband, and the inner surface of which is formed with a series of splinesmeshing with the splines of said first hub; a cylindrical roller-cagesurrounding the band of cam-faces upon said sleeve member; a cylindricalcasing member surrounding said roller-cage, having a smooth innerroller-engaging surface and an annular shouldered bearing engaging oneof the smoothly surfaced-end-parts of said sleeve member; a series ofclutch-rollers carried by said roller-cage in position between saidmembers for wedging engagement each with one of the camfaces of saidsleeve member and the smooth inner surface of said casing member; acoverplate removably secured to one side of said casing member, havingan annular shouldered bearing engaging the other of the smoothlysurfaced end-parts of said sleeve member, and having a central openingprovided with a packing ring fitted to turn upon and form a lubricantseal around said first hub; and a cap-plate secured to the other side ofsaid casing member, having a series of internal splines meshing with thesplines of said second hub, 'and having a central opening engaging saidsecond hub.

8. The combination with a pair of shafts arranged end-to-end and firstand second hubs fixed one upon each of said shafts near the proximateends thereof, each of said hubs having a series of external splinesformed thereupon, of a one-way clutch-coupling comprising a cylindricalsleeve member, the outer surface of which is formed with a centrallydisposed band of similarly inclined ratchet-like roller-engagingcamfaces and with similar smoothly surfaced bearing faces and ends ateach side of said band, and the inner surface of which is formed with aseries of splines meshing with the splines of said first hub; acylindrical roller-cage surrounding the band of cam-faces uponsaid-sleeve member; a cylindrical casing member surrounding saidroller-cage, having a smooth inner roller-engaging surface and anannular shouldered bearing engaging one of the smoothly surfaced bearingfaces and ends of said sleeve member; a series of clutch-rollers carriedby said roller-cage in position between said members for wedgingengagement each with one of the cam-faces of said sleeve member andthe'smooth inner surface of said casing member; a cover-plate removablysecured to one side of said casing member, having an annular shoulderedbearing engaging the other one of the smoothly surfaced bearing facesand ends of said sleeve member, and having a central opening providedwith a packing ring fitted to turn upon and form a lubricant seal aroundsaid first hub; and a cap-plate secured to the other side of said casingmember, having a series of internal splines meshing with the splines ofsaid second hub, and having a central opening en-

